Last week: 20 (-1)
Record: 4-5
On bye.
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2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings
Houston Texans: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#22)
Last week: 21 (-1)
Record: 2-7
Despite their 2-7 record, the Texans actually rank 12th in rate of moving the chains differential, moving the chains at a 75% rate, as opposed to 72% for their opponents. They probably aren’t as good as that (Football Outsiders has them 29th in DVOA), but they’ve just been killed by turnovers (-13) and return touchdowns (-7 touchdowns). They won’t make the playoffs are anything, but they’ll pull some “upsets” and be underrated down the stretch.
Week 10 Studs
LE JJ Watt
MLB Daryl Sharpton
Week 10 Duds
LG Wade Smith
RG Brandon Brooks
ROLB Whitney Mercilus
CB Brice McCain
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Washington Redskins: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#23)
Last week: 23 (+0)
Record: 3-6
The Redskins are at 3-6, which is right where they were last season when they ripped off 7 straight wins and won the division. The difference this year is that their remaining schedule is harder and their team isn’t as good. Last season, they’re final 7 opponents finished 48-64. This year, their final 7 opponents currently are a combined 37-36. Robert Griffin is also not the same quarterback he was last year and their team is not dominating the turnover battle like they did last year, when they finished +17. The good news is they play in the easiest division in football and it won’t take 10 wins to win like last year, but I still have Philadelphia and Dallas slightly ahead of them.
Week 10 Studs
QB Robert Griffin
LT Trent Williams
TE Jordan Reed
Week 10 Duds
LG Kory Lichtensteiger
RG Chris Chester
LOLB Ryan Kerrigan
MLB London Fletcher
FS Brandon Meriweather
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Pittsburgh Steelers: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#24)
Last week: 24 (+0)
Record: 3-6
Dick LeBeau is now 19-2 against rookie quarterbacks in his career after befuddling EJ Manuel and the Bills last week, in a 23-10 loss that wasn’t even as close as that (Buffalo’s touchdown was in garbage time). Manuel completed 22 of 39 for 155 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in the loss. The Steelers are only 2 games out of a wild card, holding the tiebreaker over the Jets. They’ll have to beat a non-rookie quarterback this week to stay alive as the Lions come to town. They are better than their record, moving the chains at a 73% rate, as to 74% for their opponents, but I don’t have a strong read on them really.
Week 10 Studs
FS Ryan Clark
Week 10 Duds
RB Le’Veon Bell
C Fernando Velasco
LG Guy Whimper
TE Heath Miller
ROLB Jason Worilds
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Miami Dolphins: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#25)
Last week: 25 (+0)
Record: 4-5
The Incognito/Martin situation and the loss of two starters on the offensive line were a big part of it, but the Dolphins’ loss to the Buccaneers was largely a result of this team’s lack of talent. GM Jeff Ireland should be fired, but not because of the Incognito/Martin situation. How much money did he spend on this shit show? They have been very good in both red zone, allowing a touchdown on 51.5% of red zone attempts, 11th, and scoring one on 64.3% of red zone attempts, 5th. However, they are moving the chains at just a 70% rate, as opposed to 77% for their opponents, a differential that is 29th in the NFL. Off-season acquisitions Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe, and Philip Wheeler have not paid off. They’ll finish pretty far near the bottom at the end of the season.
Week 10 Studs
QB Ryan Tannehill
WR Rishard Matthews
DT Randy Starks
LE Derrick Shelby
CB Brent Grimes
Week 10 Duds
MLB Dannell Ellerbe
OLB Philip Wheeler
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New York Giants: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#26)
Last week: 26 (+0)
Record: 3-6
Sure, the Giants have won 3 straight, but they were against the Raiders, Vikings, and Eagles, who haven’t won at home in 10 straight games. They weren’t particularly convincing in any of them. That being said, they are in the worst division in football by far and only a game and a half back. If they were to make the playoffs, they would be one of the worst teams to ever make the post-season, as they are moving the chains at a 67% rate, as opposed to 74% for their opponents, 30th in the NFL. I guess you can’t count them out though.
Week 10 Studs
RB Andre Brown
FB John Conner
DT Cullen Jenkins
CB Tramaine McBride
Week 10 Duds
RG David Diehl
C Jim Cordle
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St. Louis Rams: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#27)
Last week: 28 (+1)
Record 4-6
Since 1989, 5 teams have won a game by 25 or more despite losing the first down battle by 9 or more. 2 of them are the 2013 Rams. That’s not sustainable. The Rams will probably only be favored once more going forward, at home for Tampa Bay. Don’t be fooled by their fluky wins. With the exception of those two wins, the Rams’ other 2 wins have come over the Jaguars and by a field goal at home over the Cardinals. Don’t be fooled by their record. This isn’t even an average football team.
Week 10 Studs
LE William Hayes
CB Trumaine Johnson
Week 10 Duds
RB Zac Stacy
TE Jared Cook
CB Janoris Jenkins
CB Cortland Finnegan
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Atlanta Falcons: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#28)
Last week: 27 (-1)
Record: 2-7
Matt Ryan is actually doing a very good job this season, as the Falcons are moving the chains at a 75% rate, above average, despite problems on the offensive line and injuries to his weapons. However, there’s nothing he can do about the defense, which is allowing opponents to move the chains at a league leading 82% rate. As a result, they are 27th in rate of moving the chains differential, behind Tampa Bay, where they go this week. I had this team winning 8 games before the season, but I never could have imagined a team with a quarterback like Matt Ryan could ever win 4 or fewer games. But I guess that’s what happens when he has nothing functional around him.
Week 10 Studs
DT Jonathan Babineaux
Week 10 Duds
C Peter Konz
DT Peria Jerry
MLB Akeem Dent
FS Thomas DeCoud
SS William Moore
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Oakland Raiders: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#29)
Last week: 29 (+0)
Record: 3-6
The league seems to have figured out Terrelle Pryor. Over his past 4 games, he’s completed 61 of 120 for 714 yards, 1 touchdown, and 8 interceptions. The Raiders blew one of their best chances to win another game the rest of the way, losing in New York to the Giants this week. They go to Houston this week and then they’re home for Tennessee, but after that, they have 5 straight games against teams that are currently .500 at better. They might not finish with much more than 3 or 4 wins. They have a lot of building to do this off-season.
Week 10 Studs
C Stefen Wisniewski
ROLB Sio Moore
DT Pat Sims
SS Usama Young
Week 10 Duds
QB Terrelle Pryor
LT Khalif Barnes
RT Menelik Watson
LE Jason Hunter
MLB Nick Roach
CB Phillip Adams
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Minnesota Vikings: 2013 Week 11 NFL Power Rankings (#30)
Last week: 30 (+0)
Record: 2-7
In his last two games, Christian Ponder has completed 42 of 58 for 410 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. However, you have to remember he was facing two defenses in Dallas and Washington that are among the worst in the NFL and he was facing the latter on a short week when they were coming off of an overtime game (teams are 3-17 ATS on Thursday Night after an overtime game). Washington’s terrible “stop” unit made even Matt Cassel look passable when he game on in relief of an injured Christian Ponder. Ponder is expected to be fine going forward and to keep his starting job, but the schedule gets a lot tougher, with trips to Seattle, Green Bay, Baltimore, and Cincinnati to go with home games against Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit. It’s very, very possible we see another quarterback change for the Vikings at some point. They aren’t paying Josh Freeman 3 million for one start and a half of a season riding 3rd string.
Week 10 Studs
TE John Carlson
LE Everson Griffen
DT Kevin Williams
Week 10 Duds
RE Jared Allen
ROLB Chad Greenway
DT Chris Baker
MLB Erin Henderson
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